Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-01-15
THE REV. DR.. TALMAGE'S FIRST
NEW YEARS DISCOURSE.
Many Ways of Marking the Pas
sage OF the Milestones Of Life.
The Earth Not Such a Bad Place
After All, But Worldly Pleas
ures Not the Best.
True Value Of Money-Good Acts the
Best Estimates of Time-Preparing
for Eternity-The Last Day.

the Tabernacle the Rev. L. Dewitt Ialmage,
D. D., expounded some passages Of Scripture
concerning the longevity Of the patriarchs. He
gave out the hymn beginning:
Ny days are gliding swiftly by.
And I. . pilgrim stranger,
would not detsin them as they ny.
Those hours Of toll and danger.
His text was Genesis, xviii, 8: show old
Art thought" The preacher said:
: The Egyptian capital was the focus OF the
vorld's wealth. In ships and barges, there
had been brought to 1t from India franklin
cense, and cinnamon, and ivory, and diamonds;
from the north, marble and iron; from Syria,
purple and silk; from Greece, some Of the fin
est horses Of the world and some Of the most
brilliant chariots; and from all the earth that
which could best please the eye and charm
the ear, and crafty the taste. There were
temples aflame with red sandstone, entered by
the gateways that were guarded by pillars be-
wildering with hieroglyphics and wound with
brasen serpents, and adorned with winged
creatures-their eyes and beaKs, and pinions
glittering with precious stones. There were
marble columns blooming into white flower
beds; there were stone pillars, at the top burst
ing into the shape Of the lotus when In full
bloom.
BEAUTIES OF ANCIENT EGYPT.
Along the avenues, lined with sphinx, and
fans, and obelisk, there were princes who
came in gorgeously upholstered palanquin,
carried by servants In scarlet or else drawn
by vehicles, the snow-white horses, golden
bitted and six abreast dashing at full run.
There were fountains from stone-wreathed
vases climbing the ladders Of the light. You
would hear q bolt shove, and door Of brass
would open like fash OF the sun. The sur
rounding gardens were saturated with odors
that mounted the terrace and drpped from
the arbors and burned their incense In the
Egyptian noon. On floors Of mosaic the glo-
ries Of Pharaoh were spelled out in letters of
porphyry and beryl and flame. There were
ornaments twisted from the wood Of tama-
risk, embossed with silver breaking into foam.
There were foot stools made out OF a single
precious stone There we're beds fashioned
out Of q crouched lion In bronze. There
were chairs spotted with the sleek hides Of
leopards There were sofas fitted with the
claws Of wild beasts and armed with beaks Of
birds. As you stand on the level beach Of the
sea on q summer day, and look either way.
and there are miles Of breakers, white with
the ocean foam, dashing shoreward; 90 it
seemed as II the sea Of the worlds pomp and
wealth in the Egyptian capital for miles and
miles flung itself up into white breakers Of
marble temple mausoleum and obelisk.
MEASURING THE PASSING YEARS.
1t was to this capital and the palace Of
Pharaoh that Jacob, the plain shepherd,
prime minister In the royal apartment
Pharaoh ami Jacob meet, dignity and rustic
fly the gracefulness Of the court and the plain
manners of the field. The king wanting to
make the old conntryman at ease, and seeing
how white his beard Is and how feeble his
~ta Ir.ars far, liarl v Inf faa nd
70 the aged man: "How old art thouf"
Night before last the gate Of eternity opened
to let In, amid the great throng of departed
centuries, the soul Of the dying year. Under
the twelfth stroke Of the brazen hammer OF
the city clock, the patriarch fell dead, aud the
stars OF the night were the funeral torches. 1t
Is most fortunate that on this road Of life
there are 90 many milestones, on which we
can read Just how fast We are going towards
the journeys end / feel that 1t is not an in
appropriate question that ask, to-day, wheI
look into your faces and say, as Pharaoh
did to Jacob, the Patriarch: How old ar
thour'
People who are truthful on every other sub
juect lie about their ages, SO that do moi
solicit from you any literal response to til,
question have asked. / would put no on,
under temptation; but / simply want, thi!
morning, to see by what rod 1t is we are
measuring our earthly existence. There is ,
right way and Q wrong way Of measuring
door, or a wall, or an arch, or q tower, and 81
there is right way and q wrong way o
measuring our earthly existence. 1t is will
reference to thls,higher meaning that con
front you this morning, with the stupendou
question Of the text and ask: "How old ar
thoui''
JOYS FOUND ON THIS EARTH.
Their are many who estimate their life b
mere worldly qualification. When Lord Dun
das was wished . happy New Year he said
fxufll hsv-o a. -, he, Nho,. .
past, for hadn't one happy moment In all tn
twelve months that have gone" But that ha
not been the experience of most Of us. w
have found that though the world is blaste
with sin 1t 10 Q very bright and beautiful plac
to reside In. We have had joys innumersblt
There is no hostility between the gospel an
the merriments and festivities Of life.
not think that we fully enough appreciate tn
worldly pleasures God gives us When you r.
count your enjoyments you do not 20 ia
enough back. Why do you not 60 back to tn
time when You were an infant In your mother
arms, looking mp into the heaven Of her smile
TO those days when you filed the house wit
the uproar Of boisterous merriment; whe
you shouted a. you pitched the ball on th
playground; when, on the cold, sharp wints
night, muffied up on skates you shot out owe
the resounding ice Of the pond? Have 70
gave youi Were you never boyi Were 20
never girli Between those times and th
how many mercies, how many kindnesses th
Lord has bestowed upon you. How man
Joys have breathed up to you from the flower
and shown down to from the stars and chan
ed TO you with the voice Of soaring bird, an
and tumbllng cascade, and booming sea, an
thunders that with bayonets Of fire charge
down the mountain sidei Joyi Joyi JOY
IL there IL anyone who has q right to q
enioyments Of the world it is the Christian
for God has given him lease to everything
the promise: "All are yours"
WORLDLY PLEASURES NOT ALL
But have to tell you that q man who es
mates his life on earth by mere worldly gra
hcation Is q most unwise man. Our life
not TO be . game Of chess. 1t Is not a dan
IN lighted hall to quick music. 1t is not d
Of q wine cup. tits not q banquet with into
ication and registering. 1t is the first step
. ladder that mounts into the skies, or q
first step on a road that plunges into a he
rible abyss. So that in this world we are on
keying up the harp of rapture, or forgil
the chain of bondage. And standing befo
Won to-day, with life on the one side and dea
on the other; song on the one side and groa
ing on the other; mansions on the one 81
and dungeons on the other; heaven on the o
side and hell on the other-I put to you {
question Of the text: "How old art thou
Toward what destiny are you tending and h
fast are you getting on toward it,
Again: remark that there are many W
estimate their life on earth BY their sorro
and their misfortunes. Through great ma
Of your lives the plow>share hath gone VI
deep, turning up terrible furrow. You hs
been betrayed and misrepresented and
upon. and slapped Of impertinence, Q
pounded Of misfortune. The brightest
must have its shadows and the smoothest pa
its thorna On the happiest brood the ha'
pouuces No escape from trouble OF Sol
kind While glorious John Milton was losi